'The Simpsons' veteran character gone for good after three decades

The Simpsons seems to have revealed the first sad news of 2026, which is the retirement of one of its beloved characters, Barry Duffman.

Duffman had been a part of the show for nearly thirty years, and his absence will surely be felt in the seasons to follow, after he bid farewell in a Severance-themed episode on Sunday, January 4.

In the parodic episode, Seperance, the Duff Beer spokesperson, revealed that his role as the company mascot has now come to an end, saying, "The Duff Corporation has retired that character forever. All the old forms of advertising are now passé. Corporate spokesmen, print ads, TV spots. Today's kids can't even sing the jingles."

The viewers got a glimpse of the character later in the episode, albeit without his iconic uniform, which really hammered in the retirement.

The character made his first appearance in an episode back in 1997, titled "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson," and quickly became a staple on the show.

Not more than two months before Barry Duffman’s retirement, the show discontinued another beloved character, First Church Organist Alice Glick, who had been a part of the show for over 34 years.